Pacing

Keeping heart rate up

by AgentX86 - 2023-05-01 13:57:50

Not being able to keep the heart rate up and essentially a 100% pacing rate (not important except for the fixed heart rate) suggests chronotropic incompetence, which is a problem with the sinus node.  Talk with yout EP/cardiologist.  It sounds like there is more going on than a heart block. It's probably not a big deal and may just be a matter of turning on the Rate Response feature of your pacemaker.

pacing

by Tracey_E - 2023-05-01 14:49:24

Most of us with complete heart block pace every beat. 3rd degree block means the signal never gets through from the SA node in the atria to the AV node in the ventricles, so the pacer completes the broken circuit. Perfectly normal for us!

As Agent said, if your rate isn't going up on exertion, the pacer can also help with that. Let your team know, they should be able to tweak your settings.

Pacing every beat.

by AgentX86 - 2023-05-01 16:05:50

Thanks Tracey. I hadn't considered that he was talking about pacing in the ventricles. I thought he was talking about pacing atrial, every beat. That would line up with the CI as part of Sick Sinus Syndrome, in addition to the heart block.

pacing ventricle/Agent

by Tracey_E - 2023-05-01 22:02:16

Most people have just av block so pacing the ventricle will fix the problems. But some of us also have atrial issues but if you've been in block for a long time, you'd never know because the atria is doing it's thing. Once the heart is in sync again, the atrial issues become obvoius. This happened to me. Easy fix once we knew what we were really dealing with. I pace 99.9% ventricle, 2-4% atrial. 

SDC

by piglet22 - 2023-05-03 10:04:47

Your pacemaker may reveal other things going on, even decades after the implantation for something else.

I'm finding that one out right now.

Getting tweaks in the UK is proving tricky at the moment and when the cancer and A&E nurses are on strike, you know you are in trouble.

I also get the feeling that accessing specialists in US is a lot easier than UK.

Maybe the "free at the point of use" and "from cradle to grave" might have worked in 1948, but with double the population, the free approach might be creaking.

Average wait for an NHS specialist is about 6-months, and waiting lists for ops can put years on top of that.

It looks as though you have one of the newer devices and might be able to use a phone app to give you more information.

3rd Degree Club

by Stache - 2023-05-05 20:37:38

I am a 3rd-degree member as well with my Abbot pacer set at 60 bpm.  A couple of weeks ago I had the Abbot Technician make several adjustments to my dual chamber pacer.  Having the manufacturer make the correct adjustment made all the difference for me.

I am a very active/physical person and explaining my activities to the tech he was able to make the correct adjustment the hospital pacer techs didn’t know could be done.  I am sure your pacer manufacturer techs can make some changes that you help you as mine did.

Have to admit it took over two years to find out I could have the manufacture tech make my changes.  All I had to do was ask to have the tech check my automatic downloads and look at my data.  Based on my activity level make some great changes, I’m really a lot better now.